Vitamin C levels in blood plasma linked with brain connectivity and volume in older adults

Article excerpt

Researchers tracking 2,044 older Japanese adults discovered a correlation between low blood plasma vitamin C and reduced gray matter volume in the brain, along with diminished connectivity in the default mode network, a set of regions active during rest and self-reflection. The findings, published in PLOS One by Hirosaki University's Haruka Nagaya and colleagues, suggest vitamin C may play a role in preserving brain structure and function as people age. The study doesn't establish whether vitamin C deficiency causes these brain changes or merely accompanies them, leaving open the question of whether supplementation might help protect cognitive health.